UPDATED: Hit and run shark attack breaks mans foot

Published: Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 10:34 AM.

OKALOOSA ISLAND - The wife of a Tennessee man bitten by a shark Monday says they’re grateful he wasn’t more seriously injured.

Terrell Moore, a 39-year-old vacationing from Pleasant View with his family, suffered a broken foot and two deep puncture wounds, according to his wife, Melissa.

Experts have confirmed that his injury was caused by a shark. Moore was swimming with his wife and 11-year-old son about 75 yards from shore when he stopped on a sandbar.

“He got on the second sandbar and was kind of standing up,” Melissa said. “All of the sudden, he went under a little bit and popped back up. . . he started swimming really fast.”

He was not fishing, as had been originally reported by first responders. However, two local men were fishing about 15 feet from where the family was swimming, she said.

That was almost certainly a contributing factor, said George Burgess, curator of the International Shark Attack File.

“The fishermen are very attractive to sharks,” he said. “Fishermen and bathers and surfers don’t mix.”

Burgess said he guessed the shark was probably “misinterpreting the moves of (Moore’s) foot for being the actions of a fish, possibly even a hooked fish.”

“It’s your typical hit and run attack - grabs a human and then lets go,” he said. “No 'Jaws' music in the background.”

Moore told officials he saw the shark swimming away and that it was about the size of his 11-year-old son.

Burgess said it appeared from the bite mark to be a reasonably small shark, possibly a backtip or spinner shark. Both are common fish-eating sharks along inland Panhandle waters.

He speculated that Moore’s foot was broken in the “tug of war” between man and shark.

“If you’re rotating your ankle around something that’s holding it, you can break some bones,” Burgess said. “If he hadn’t broken his foot, he might have gotten a stitch or two on his lacerations, and a good bar story.”

Monday’s attack will be entered into the shark files database.

Melissa Moore said although her husband was in a lot of pain Tuesday, they were grateful it wasn’t worse.

“We’re happy everyone’s here and everyone’s safe,” she said.

They planned to finish out their vacation, despite the fact that Terrell is on crutches and their sons are worried about going back in the Gulf.

“We’re going to stick it out,” she said. “What are you going to do? You make the best of it.

“It happens, we’re in their territory. We understand that.”

BY THE NUMBERS: From 1882 to 2012, Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa counties have had a total of five documented unprovoked shark attacks, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File. The only fatal unprovoked shark attack in the area was in June 2005 in Walton County, when 14-year-old Jamie Daigle from Louisiana was killed by a 6-foot bull shark.

Previous coverage:

A Tennessee man bitten by a shark off Okaloosa Island on Monday was not bait fishing, as originally reported by first responders.

The 39-year-old man, who has not been identified, was with his family near the second sandbar about 75 yards from shore.

“We were swimming,” said his wife, who spoke with the Daily News on Tuesday. “He got on the second sandbar and was kind of standing up. All of the sudden he went under a little bit and popped back up. All of the sudden he started swimming really fast.”

There were two locals fishing about 15 feet from where the family was swimming, she said.

The bite broke his foot, as well as puncturing both sides of his foot.

She said the doctors confirmed it was a shark bite.

The family arrived in the area on Saturday and are planning to continue their vacation, despite Monday’s incident.

“The kids are a little terrified to get back in the water,” she said. “But we’re going to stick it out.

“We’re on vacation,” she added. “What are you going to do? You make the best of it.”

OKALOOSA ISLAND - The wife of a Tennessee man bitten by a shark Monday says they’re grateful he wasn’t more seriously injured.

Terrell Moore, a 39-year-old vacationing from Pleasant View with his family, suffered a broken foot and two deep puncture wounds, according to his wife, Melissa.

Experts have confirmed that his injury was caused by a shark. Moore was swimming with his wife and 11-year-old son about 75 yards from shore when he stopped on a sandbar.

“He got on the second sandbar and was kind of standing up,” Melissa said. “All of the sudden, he went under a little bit and popped back up. . . he started swimming really fast.”

He was not fishing, as had been originally reported by first responders. However, two local men were fishing about 15 feet from where the family was swimming, she said.

That was almost certainly a contributing factor, said George Burgess, curator of the International Shark Attack File.

“The fishermen are very attractive to sharks,” he said. “Fishermen and bathers and surfers don’t mix.”

Burgess said he guessed the shark was probably “misinterpreting the moves of (Moore’s) foot for being the actions of a fish, possibly even a hooked fish.”

“It’s your typical hit and run attack - grabs a human and then lets go,” he said. “No 'Jaws' music in the background.”

Moore told officials he saw the shark swimming away and that it was about the size of his 11-year-old son.

Burgess said it appeared from the bite mark to be a reasonably small shark, possibly a backtip or spinner shark. Both are common fish-eating sharks along inland Panhandle waters.

He speculated that Moore’s foot was broken in the “tug of war” between man and shark.

“If you’re rotating your ankle around something that’s holding it, you can break some bones,” Burgess said. “If he hadn’t broken his foot, he might have gotten a stitch or two on his lacerations, and a good bar story.”

Monday’s attack will be entered into the shark files database.

Melissa Moore said although her husband was in a lot of pain Tuesday, they were grateful it wasn’t worse.

“We’re happy everyone’s here and everyone’s safe,” she said.

They planned to finish out their vacation, despite the fact that Terrell is on crutches and their sons are worried about going back in the Gulf.

“We’re going to stick it out,” she said. “What are you going to do? You make the best of it.

“It happens, we’re in their territory. We understand that.”

BY THE NUMBERS: From 1882 to 2012, Okaloosa, Walton and Santa Rosa counties have had a total of five documented unprovoked shark attacks, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File. The only fatal unprovoked shark attack in the area was in June 2005 in Walton County, when 14-year-old Jamie Daigle from Louisiana was killed by a 6-foot bull shark.

Previous coverage:

A Tennessee man bitten by a shark off Okaloosa Island on Monday was not bait fishing, as originally reported by first responders.

The 39-year-old man, who has not been identified, was with his family near the second sandbar about 75 yards from shore.

“We were swimming,” said his wife, who spoke with the Daily News on Tuesday. “He got on the second sandbar and was kind of standing up. All of the sudden he went under a little bit and popped back up. All of the sudden he started swimming really fast.”

There were two locals fishing about 15 feet from where the family was swimming, she said.

The bite broke his foot, as well as puncturing both sides of his foot.

She said the doctors confirmed it was a shark bite.

The family arrived in the area on Saturday and are planning to continue their vacation, despite Monday’s incident.

“The kids are a little terrified to get back in the water,” she said. “But we’re going to stick it out.

“We’re on vacation,” she added. “What are you going to do? You make the best of it.”